- Stepped away from parkrun - more time with family, with life that demands it, and I can focus on my running, rather than other peoples as parkrun was starting to dictate.
- Wonderland 36, again. Fun weekend with the TRSA crew, much more casual this time, ended up a bit slower due to traffic really.
- Local TRSA races done, some more Lav-Fed done, which I should/will at some point write about.
- A plan. A reasonably big plan. For quite a big goal.
One of the things with the last few years, essentially since I finished YUM 2016, has been the lack of direction. I thought that perhaps Everesting would give back that direction. However, I realised that this would be another thing whereby I finish it (maybe..!) and then have to plan again. So, instead, I need a bigger plan. And #iconictrails and #everesting still have places within it.
Soooo, ENTER; 3 year plan. With proviso for beyond...
What I've looked at is big from where I am now, but 3 years is doable. That goal is GSER 100, 2021.
GSER 100 Stats;
- 182 km.
- Mt Buller to Bright, in the Victorian Alps (Alternate direction each running. 2019 is Bright to Buller).
- 10207m of climb, 11464m of descent.
- Remote and mountainous.
- Qualifying criteria apply.
Lots of uppy, downy, pointy bits
So, already, I have started on this journey. My training, event choices ('cos I aint racing anything but the occassional clock, tbh!), etc will be directed towards that. There is still plenty of unknown and flexibilty in the scheduling and direction, but the overall flow is towards Buller in November 2021.
So firstly, I'm getting my training back on track. That means programming. Now, this is the bit that I think I enjoy the most. Except maybe buying gear... hmm. Not sure. Anyway, spreadsheets come at me!
When I look at this challenge, it becomes clear that it is really a test of attrition. Basically, it's success through avoiding failure! A funny way to look at it, but, I feel accurate.
For me it will be on two key principles; consistency and recovery. In 2021, I turn 40. The reality therefore, is that I cannot go smash out hard sessions day, after day, after day, with just a 20-week preparation (for example). Hence the 3 year plan. I need to start now. If I get to June 2021 and have been consistently training - and recovering; it is a fundamental part of training - adequate hours/distance for the 6, 12, 18, 36 months prior, I can ramp up - consistency. Get injured (there's more of that recovery bit...), bored/burnt out (programming comes in here), etc and it becomes unlikely that I can really achieve this goal.
So, for now, training is getting back to being structured. My life sadly, but realistically, these days runs by having everything booked into google calendar, so that I know what I am doing with Uni, both jobs, family... and training. Yep, I'm being realistic and booking it in each day. Otherwise it'll be lost. And recovery is training. Saying that again, just to emphasise it. That attrition I mentioned before? Yeah, that's as much about recovering as working hard.
The other thing I've decided to do, is cut back on events going forward. Generally, although fun, often I run with someone else and go too hard or too easy, or end up chatting with folks and missing family time which stresses that scenario... less events. Overall, just makes it easier to stay focussed.
And of those events, they need to go in the right direction - towards GSER. Being a long, remote and mountainous event, events I choose will need to reflect all/some of those type of characteristics.
So with that, my first event for 2019 will be 5 Peaks. It won't be 'fast'. It will be a long training "mission" (I've stolen a bit of Hanny Allston in my current build up - it strikes a chord, we'll see how it goes...) in a build towards another event. 5 Peaks actually, doesn't fit too well, but it's local and fun, so good enough reason to do it, really.
Other stuff... some is confirmed and booked in, some I'm waiting to see, some I'm undecided upon. But the beauty of doing less events and a long term plan, is that I don't end up with 'clashes'; just decisions about which to do first :)
